Powerful Call to Worship Scriptures and Examples

Worship is a cornerstone of the Christian faith, a sacred moment where hearts connect with God. The call to worship invites us to set aside earthly distractions and focus on the majesty of God. Scripture, the inspired Word, provides powerful and inspiring passages to usher us into this sacred space.

This article, “Call to Worship Scriptures,” explores a collection of verses designed to ignite hearts and prepare souls for worship. We’ll look at passages that:

• Invite adoration and reverence for God.
• Create a sense of anticipation and expectancy.
• Unite believers in a shared experience of worship.

Whether you’re leading a congregation or seeking personal devotion, each call to worship scripture will offer a powerful foundation for a meaningful worship experience. Let the words of scripture inspire and uplift you as you prepare to encounter the living God.

What is a Call to Worship?

A call to worship is an intentional liturgical element that serves as an invitation for the congregation to enter into a focused time of reverence, praise, and encounter with God. This practice has its roots in both Old and New Testament traditions and carries significant theological implications.

In the Old Testament, we see examples of calls to worship in the Psalms. For instance, Psalm 95:1-2 declares, “Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.” Such passages serve as invitations for the people of God to engage in corporate worship.

Theologically, the call to worship acknowledges several key aspects of the Christian faith:

1. God’s initiative: It recognizes that worship is first and foremost a response to God’s initiative in revealing Himself and calling His people into relationship. This aligns with the concept of prevenient grace in Wesleyan theology.
2. The priesthood of all believers: By inviting the entire congregation to participate, it affirms the New Testament teaching that all believers have direct access to God (1 Peter 2:9).
3. The work of the Holy Spirit: From a spirit-filled perspective, the call to worship is seen as an invitation to open oneself to the moving and leading of the Holy Spirit in the worship experience.
4. Covenantal relationship: It serves as a reminder of the covenant relationship between God and His people, echoing God’s words in Leviticus 26:12, “I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be my people.”
5. Eschatological anticipation: The call to worship can be understood as a foretaste of the eternal worship described in Revelation, where all creation will gather before the throne of God (Revelation 7:9-10).

In practice, a call to worship often involves not just spoken words but also physical and emotional engagement. This may include raising hands, singing, or other expressive forms of worship, reflecting the Pauline exhortation to “pray in the Spirit on all occasions” (Ephesians 6:18).

Moreover, from a pneumatological perspective, the call to worship can be seen as an invitation for the Holy Spirit to manifest His presence and gifts within the gathering. This aligns with Paul’s teaching in 1 Corinthians 14:26, where he envisions a worship service in which various spiritual gifts are exercised for the edification of the body.

In conclusion, the call to worship is a theologically rich practice that initiates the corporate worship experience, affirms key doctrinal truths, and invites the active participation of both the congregation and the Holy Spirit in the worship service.

Powerful Call to Worship Scriptures and Call to Worship Examples in the Bible

Here are 10 powerful call to worship examples found in the Bible:

1. Psalm 95:1-2: “Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.”
2. Psalm 100:1-4: “Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.”
3. Isaiah 55:1: “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.”
4. Psalm 34:3: “Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together.”
5. Psalm 66:1-2: “Shout for joy to God, all the earth! Sing the glory of his name; make his praise glorious.”
6. Psalm 122:1: “I rejoiced with those who said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.'”
7. Revelation 4:11: “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”
8. Psalm 96:1-3: “Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.”
9. Lamentations 3:22-23: “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”
10. Hebrews 12:28-29: “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our ‘God is a consuming fire.'”

These call to worship passages invite believers to come before God with joy, thanksgiving, and reverence. They emphasize God’s greatness, His love, and His worthiness of praise. Let’s look at more call to worship scriptures for different purposes.

Call to Worship Scriptures for Praising God’s Attributes

Call to Worship Verses Celebrating God’s Greatness and Majesty

• Psalm 95:1-3: “Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods.”
• Psalm 100:1-5: “Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.”
• Psalm 145:1-3: “I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever. Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever. Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.”
• Revelation 4:11: “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”
• Revelation 5:12: “In a loud voice they were saying: ‘Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!'”

Call to Worship Bible Verses Focusing on God’s Power and Wisdom

• Job 36:26: “How great is God—beyond our understanding! The number of his years is past finding out.”
• Psalm 147:5: “Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit.”
• Isaiah 40:28: “Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.”
• Jeremiah 10:12: “But God made the earth by his power; he founded the world by his wisdom and stretched out the heavens by his understanding.”
• Romans 11:33: “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!”

Call to Worship Verses for Inviting God’s Presence

Call to Worship Scriptures Inviting God’s Presence into the Worship Gathering

• Psalm 22:3: “But you are holy, you who inhabit the praises of Israel.”
• Psalm 63:1-2: “You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water. I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory.”
• James 4:8: “Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”
• Revelation 3:20: “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.”
• Zephaniah 3:17: “The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.”

Call to Worship Bible Verses about Drawing Near to God

• Hebrews 10:22: “Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.”
• Psalm 73:28: “But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.”
• Isaiah 55:6: “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near.”

Call to Worship Scriptures Expressing Gratitude

Call to Worship Verses of Thanksgiving and Appreciation for God’s Goodness

• Psalm 107:1: “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.”
• Psalm 118:1: “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.”
• 1 Chronicles 16:34: “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.”
• Colossians 3:15: “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.”
• 1 Thessalonians 5:18: “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

Call to Worship Bible Verses about God’s Faithfulness and Blessings

• Lamentations 3:22-23: “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”
• Psalm 36:5: “Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.”
• Psalm 89:1: “I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations.”
• Hebrews 10:23: “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.”
• 2 Timothy 2:13: “If we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself.”

Call to Worship Verses on Unity in Worship

Call to Worship Scriptures Encouraging Corporate Worship and Unity

• Psalm 133:1: “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!”
• Hebrews 10:24-25: “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
• Acts 2:46-47: “Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”
• Romans 15:5-6: “May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
• Ephesians 4:3: “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”

Call to Worship Bible Verses about Gathering Together as Believers

• Matthew 18:20: “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”
• Colossians 3:16: “Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.”
• Acts 2:42: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”

Call to Worship Scriptures on God’s Holiness

Call to Worship Verses Emphasizing God’s Holiness and Our Response

• Isaiah 6:3: “And they were calling to one another: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.'”
• Psalm 99:5: “Exalt the Lord our God and worship at his footstool; he is holy.”
• Revelation 15:4: “Who will not fear you, Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.”
• 1 Peter 1:15-16: “But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.'”
• Exodus 15:11: “Who among the gods is like you, Lord? Who is like you—majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?”

Call to Worship Bible Verses about Reverence and Awe

• Hebrews 12:28-29: “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our ‘God is a consuming fire.'”
• Psalm 33:8: “Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the people of the world revere him.”
• Habakkuk 2:20: “The Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him.”

Call to Worship Verses on Creation’s Praise

Call to Worship Scriptures Describing Nature’s Worship of God

• Psalm 19:1: “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.”
• Psalm 98:7-8: “Let the sea resound, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. Let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing together for joy.”
• Isaiah 55:12: “You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.”
• Psalm 148:1-5: “Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise him in the heights above. Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his heavenly hosts. Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars. Praise him, you highest heavens and you waters above the skies. Let them praise the name of the Lord, for at his command they were created.”
• Revelation 5:13: “Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: ‘To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!'”

Call to Worship Bible Verses Inviting All Creation to Praise

• Psalm 150:6: “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord.”
• Psalm 96:11-12: “Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it; let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them. Let all the trees of the forest sing for joy.”
• Psalm 145:21: “My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord. Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever.”

Call to Worship Scriptures on Joy and Celebration

Call to Worship Verses Expressing Joy and Delight in Worshiping God

• Psalm 100:1-2: “Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.”
• Psalm 122:1: “I rejoiced with those who said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.'”
• Philippians 4:4: “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!”
• Zephaniah 3:17: “The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.”

Call to Worship Bible Verses about Celebratory Praise

• Psalm 47:1: “Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy.”
• Psalm 98:4: “Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music.”
• Psalm 150:3-5: “Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and pipe, praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals.”
• Isaiah 12:6: “Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel among you.”
• Ephesians 5:19: “Speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord.”

Call to Worship Verses on Seeking God’s Face

Call to Worship Scriptures Encouraging the Pursuit of God’s Presence

• Psalm 27:8: “My heart says of you, ‘Seek his face!’ Your face, Lord, I will seek.”
• Jeremiah 29:13: “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
• Deuteronomy 4:29: “But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul.”
• 2 Chronicles 7:14: “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
• Amos 5:4: “This is what the Lord says to Israel: ‘Seek me and live.'”

Call to Worship Bible Verses about Longing for God

• Psalm 42:1-2: “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?”
• Psalm 63:1: “You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water.”
• Isaiah 26:9: “My soul yearns for you in the night; in the morning my spirit longs for you. When your judgments come upon the earth, the people of the world learn righteousness.”

Using Call to Worship Scriptures to Worship

As already noted, using call to worship scriptures to initiate corporate worship is a powerful way to ground the congregation in biblical truth and set the tone for the service. Here’s how you can effectively use these scriptures:

1. Responsive Reading: One of the most common methods is to use a responsive reading format. The leader reads a portion of the scripture, and the congregation responds with another portion.

For example, using Psalm 100: Leader: “Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!” Congregation: “Worship the Lord with gladness; come into his presence with singing.” Leader: “Know that the Lord is God.” Congregation: “It is he that made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.”

2. Declarative Proclamation: The worship leader can powerfully declare a scripture, inviting the congregation to enter into worship.

For instance, using Psalm 95:6-7: “Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.”

3. Musical Integration: Incorporate the scripture into a musical setting. Many contemporary worship songs are based on call to worship scriptures. You could start with the scripture reading and transition into a song based on that scripture.
4. Antiphonal Reading: Divide the congregation into two groups, each reading alternate verses. This creates a sense of dialogue within the scripture itself.
5. Visual Presentation: Display the scripture on screens, allowing the congregation to read it together. This can be particularly effective with longer passages.
6. Thematic Application: Choose scriptures that align with the theme of the service or the sermon. For example, if the sermon is about God’s faithfulness, you might use Lamentations 3:22-23 as a call to worship.
7. Seasonal Relevance: Select scriptures that reflect the current liturgical season or special occasions in the church calendar.
8. Multi-Sensory Approach: Combine the scripture reading with other elements like lighting candles, ringing bells, or other symbolic actions that engage multiple senses.
9. Congregational Participation: Invite the congregation to read the entire scripture together, fostering a sense of unity and shared purpose.
10. Meditative Reading: For a more contemplative approach, read the scripture slowly, with pauses for reflection, allowing the congregation to internalize the words.

Remember, the goal is to use these call to worship scriptures to direct the congregation’s attention towards God, preparing their hearts for worship. The method you choose should align with your congregation’s culture and the overall flow of your worship service.

Looking Beyond Call to Worship Scriptures

As we conclude our exploration of call to worship scriptures, remember, that these verses are a powerful invitation to set aside the world and enter into holy communion with God. By using these words to begin our gatherings, we create a sacred space where hearts can be opened and spirits uplifted.

Deepen Your Worship Experience:

• Explore our “Bible Verses” section: Discover additional scriptures that inspire awe, reverence, and anticipation for God’s presence. You might also enjoy “In Search of Wonder.”
• Embrace the Power of Prayer: Visit our Prayers section to find prayers for worship, preparation, and seeking God’s guidance.
• Share Your Journey:
  • Prayer Request Page: Is there a particular challenge you face in preparing for worship? Share your needs anonymously on our prayer request page and find support from our faith-filled community.
  • Leave a Comment Below: Share your favorite call to worship scripture or how you use these verses to enhance your worship experience.

Spread the Light:

• Share these call to worship scriptures with your church community to enrich your shared worship experience.
• Consider a donation to Divine Disclosures to help us continue providing resources that support spiritual growth and worship.

May these call to worship verses ignite a passion for worship in your heart and in the hearts of others. Remember, as we gather to worship, we invite God’s presence to fill the space and transform our lives.